Wildlife Management Area

Transcription

1 Proposed Wildlife Management Area A wildlife management area designation is being proposed for the Harrison-Chehalis area to conserve fish and wildlife habitats while also respecting existing and compatible land use interests

2 What is a Wildlife Management Area (WMA)? A WMA is an area of land designated under section 4(2) of the Wildlife Act to conserve fish and wildlife habitat values of regional, national or international significance It is a flexible designation that provides management emphasis on fish and wildlife It is used to improve conservation in terms of: Sensitive, vulnerable or at risk species Critical life-cycle phases for species Important migration/movement routes for species Areas of high productivity It is a legal designation that can make an important contribution to regional environmental sustainability Roberts Bank WMA Roberts Bank WMA

3 What Does a WMA Designation Do? It gives the ministry responsible for WMAs the administrative authority to manage the area for fish and wildlife conservation in the context of other important land use values It allows for some additional management tools under the Wildlife Act to be considered in WMA management (sections 4(4), 5, 7(1), 7(4), 8 and 108) It provides a WMA management plan that encourages collaboration with First Nations, local governments and stakeholders in the development and achievement of conservation objectives Skwelwil em Squamish Estuary WMA Proposed Harrison-Chehalis WMA

4 How is a WMA Managed? The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has the responsibility for WMA management A WMA management plan and its goal and objectives are developed in consultation with First Nations, local governments and stakeholders and provides the guidance for provincial WMA management The successful achievement of a plan s management goal and objectives often relies on the support, cooperation and involvement of First Nations, local communities and other stakeholders The regional manager responsible may establish orders in line with a WMA s management plan that prohibit or restrict certain activities in a WMA (e.g. damaging or removing vegetation) A WMA designation also enables the province to make regulations with respect to use or occupation of a WMA, but this power has not been exercised to date In practice, the province relies more on voluntary measures like consultation, education, collaboration and partnership agreements to achieve WMA conservation objectives South Arm Marshes WMA Serpentine WMA

5 Proposed Boundary of the Harrison-Chehalis WMA

6 Description of the Proposed Harrison-Chehalis WMA Proposed WMA Area The proposed WMA covers about 1,515 ha. of river and freshwater delta habitats associated with the Harrison and Chehalis rivers and stretches from Harrison Bay to the Morris Creek wetlands 200 ha of the proposed WMA is made up of private property owned by the Nature Trust of BC (TNT) for the purpose of conservation. The province is working with TNT for a long-term lease of the property so it can be included in the WMA 1,300 ha of the proposed WMA is Crown land comprised of aquatic and wetland habitats that are subject to seasonal flooding Conservation Values The area is internationally recognized as a core area of salmon abundance and diversity The area supports an internationally significant number of Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans The area is heavily used for feeding and rearing habitat for White Sturgeon which is a Red-listed species in B.C. and is ranked as endangered in the Fraser River system

7 First Nations and Other Local Communities The proposed WMA is not only a special place for fish and wildlife but it is also a special place for people The proposed WMA falls within the homelands of several First Nations and local communities where many existing land use activities are important to their quality and way of life Local First Nations have long had a connection with the HarrisonChehalis Area. They have used the area for food, trade, transport, settlements and cultural practice for over 5,000 years. Several local communities from the District of Kent and Area C of the Fraser Valley Regional District also have a strong connection to the environments and resources found in the Harrison-Chehalis area. The area s natural beauty and resources has provided these communities with valuable economic, recreation and lifestyle opportunities

8 Existing Land Uses There are many existing land use activities in, and adjacent to, the proposed WMA Some of the current land uses within the proposed WMA include: First Nations traditional use, fishing, hunting, log transport, log storage, recreational boating, wildlife viewing, and tourism Some of the current land uses adjacent the proposed WMA include: Indian Reserves, First Nation cultural heritage sites, a healing centre, agriculture, log sort operations, a hatchery, spawning channels, RV Parks, a lodge, a golf resort, parks, a recreation site, residential developments, a railway, a highway, and a transmission line corridor The WMA management plan recognizes that agricultural, residential and industrial lands exist adjacent to the proposed WMA and acknowledges that any proposed WMA management activities will consider possible impacts on these adjacent land use interests The management plan also recognizes the importance of continued economic and recreational activity in the area and will accommodate such activity within the WMA if compatible with WMA conservation objectives

9 Harrison-Chehalis WMA Management Plan Management Goal: To conserve the ecological integrity of riverine habitats of the Harrison and Chehalis Rivers Management Objectives: Maintain and possibly enhance or restore riverine habitat Provide opportunities for use and enjoyment of wildlife and natural features consistent with management goal and objectives Promote awareness, education, research and enhancement activities Manage human use for compatibility with WMA management goal Monitor impacts of human use to ensure compatibility with management goal and objectives Ensure public is consulted with regard to any broad management decisions on public use in the WMA The plan was approved in 2002, and some aspects of the plan are now in need of an update. However, the plan s conservation goal and objectives are still considered relevant for the purpose of WMA designation Proposed Harrison-Chehalis WMA

10 Formal Consultation on the WMA Proposal The Province has been engaging with local First Nations, governments and stakeholders on the Harrison-Chehalis Proposal since the late 1990s In 2012, legal designation of the Harrison-Chehalis was identified as a priority project The Province has now initiated a 45-day formal consultation process from November 7, 2013 to December 21, 2013 to complete consultation on the proposed Harrison-Chehalis WMA legal designation and boundaries. If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the proposed Harrison-Chehalis WMA designation and/or its proposed boundaries, please complete one of the comment sheets below and drop it off in the available comment box before you go OR Please , mail or fax your comments by December 21, 2013 to Jeff Juthans at: Jeff Juthans Regional Initiatives Office Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Suite rd Street, Surrey, BC V3R 1E1 Tel: (604) Fax: (604) Jeff.Juthans@gov.bc.ca